diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/message.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/message.c
index 48327e181..f539e2944 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/message.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/message.c
@@ -500,6 +500,9 @@ static int message_put(struct message *m, ...)
 {
 	va_list va;
 
+	if (m == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	va_start(va, m);
 
 	while (true) {
@@ -557,5 +560,8 @@ static int message_put(struct message *m, ...)
 	}
 	va_end(va);
 
+	if (m->length > m->allocated)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
index 486034037..e8639db8b 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-pulse/pulse-server.c
@@ -272,6 +272,17 @@ static int send_message(struct client *client, struct message *m)
 	struct impl *impl = client->impl;
 	int res;
 
+	if (m == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	if (m->length == 0) {
+		res = 0;
+		goto error;
+	} else if (m->length > m->allocated) {
+		res = -ENOMEM;
+		goto error;
+	}
+
 	m->offset = 0;
 	spa_list_append(&client->out_messages, &m->link);
 	res = flush_messages(client);
@@ -282,6 +293,10 @@ static int send_message(struct client *client, struct message *m)
 		res = 0;
 	}
 	return res;
+error:
+	if (m)
+		message_free(client, m, false, false);
+	return res;
 }
 
 static struct message *reply_new(struct client *client, uint32_t tag)